Friction-clutch.



H. HORS'FALL. FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 190a.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 BHBET8BHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

lNVE/VTUI? @941 vrskuw. WM K IAMAQQ Z I l Arms/ms H. HORSFALL. FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1908. 917;?64. Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v WITNESSES: IIVVE/VTOR A (MW-M 00%1 W 63% fi nm a; QwmxQe/L ATTORNEYS H. HOR$FALL FRIOTION CLUTCH.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 5, 190B. 91 7,764, Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

, I l\ WITNESSES: XHLXIVVEIVTOP N 3 GM W mm/J; rQMMMQM,

\ ATTORNEY &

1 UNITED STATES, PAT NT OFFICE.

HAROLD Hon s'FALL, or PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA;

i RIo'rIon-cLUTcH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 13,1909.

' Appl'idation filed June 5, .1908. Serial No. 436,307;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD HoRsFALn, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsyl Vania, have invented new and useful Friction-Clutches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming part of this specification, in which.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one form of clutch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view'of'the same partly in trans verse section; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views showing the form of the clutch members;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views which are respectively similar to Figs. 1 and 2, but which'show a modified form of the invention Fig; 7 is a longitudinal section showing another form of clutch; Figs .8 and 9 are respectively a transverse section and an end View of the form of clutch shown in Fig. 7; Fig. '10 is a detail View of the securing and clamping bolts; Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views showing the form of clutch members used in the.

clutchshown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

My invention has relation to friction clutches, and more particularly to friction clutches of that type known as multiple disk clutches, in which there are a plurality of friction rings or elements arranged in two series and forming the frictional driving connection between the; driving and the drivenmembers of the clutch.

One object of my invention is to provide a clutch of this character, in which the fric-' tion elements are cheaply made from narrow.

cating the elements, and to improve other details of the clutch, all as hereinafterdescribed, U

Referring first to-the form of clutch shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a divided shaft, and?) and 4 the driving and" driven members "WhlOh .are keyed to the respective sections of the shaft 2. Either the member 3,01 the'member 4 may be the driving member.; In the'present instance, the member} constitutes the drivclutch elements.

ing member, being in the form of a pulley,

but arranged to drive said shaft through the medium of the member 4,and the inte 'osed 5 designates the c lutch elements which are carried by the member 3, and 6 theclutch elements which are carried by the member 4. These elements instead of being continuous annular rings, such as have heretofore been generally used for'the purpose, consist of segments, which are. preferably cut or sheared or may be punched by means of dies from cold' rolled bars or plates These elements have beveled ends 5 and 6 so that they will fit together in the manner shown in Fig. 2, where it will be noticed that the joints 5 and 6* do not fall in line, the elements 5 and 6 being arranged in alternating relation to each other; that is to sayfthere' being one of the elements 6 between each pair of the elements 5. The elements 5 are secured to the driving member 3 by means of bolts or pins 7, which extend through the internal flanges of the rimportion of the driving member. The elements 6 are secured by'bolts 8, which also form the means for applying the clamping pressure to the ,friction elements through the clamping ring or pressure plate 9. The bolts 8 extend throug the ring 9, through "the series of elements 6, and through the web portion 4 of thedriven member 4, and their outer and projectim ends are loosely engaged by the levers 10, w ich are connected to the clutch sleeve 11, arranged to slide endwise on the shaft 2, and which is actuated by any suitable and well known means (not shown).

"In the construction shown on Sheet 1,. the

rim and web portion 4 of the driving member 4 is formed se aratel from the hub .4, and is connected t 'ereto y bolts 12, which can be readily removed. The removal of these bolts permits the rim and web' section 4 to be also readily removed to permit access to the clutch elements. 13 designates separating springs which. are interposed be tween the web 4 of the driven member and the clamping ring 9, for the purpose of releasing thepressure on the friction elements when the clutch is thrown out of. driving enga 'ement. 14 is a dust guard for the mem er 3.

By referenceto Fig. 2, it will be noted that the bolts 8 arearranged in pairs, there being one of these bolts extending through each end portion of each of the segments 6.

The'bolts 7 are also arranged in pairs, one

with an end earing in the web member 4*,

.be introduced consisting of removable threaded plugs 13*, which also provide means for adjusting the tension of t ese s rings. The plugs 13 can also be removed or lubricating the frictioneleme'nts 5 and 6, and the recess R is the continuous annular space in the outer part of the driving member 3, for collecting the lubricant, from which .the lubricant will gravitate back to the clutch elements when the driving member 3 is not in motion.

The form of clutch shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is in general similar to that shown on Sheet 1 except that the pressure plate or ring 17 is mounted loosely on the hub of thedriven member 16, on which it is free to move in a longitudinal direction, but is prevented from rotating on the said hub by a-key 18 In this form of clutch, the ressure plate 17 3 moved endwise on the friction member 16, to bring the friction-elements into driving engagement. The space 19 between the web or flange 15 of the hub 16 and the clamping plate 17 also constitutes a lubricant chamber into which gra hite or other lubricant may hy means of the removable pl s 20, which correspond to the lugs 13 of t e form of clutch first described The form, of clutch shown on Sheet 3 is more particularly adapted for clutches of small sizes, the segments 21 and 22 of the clutch element's-being ofless number and of %lightly modified form, as clearly shown in lgS. 8, 11 and 12. In this form of clutch,-

23 is the drivingmember and 24 the. driven member (although either 23 or 24: may be the driving member) 25 are the bolts or pins which secure the inner series of segments 22, said bolts or pins being seated in the end flanges-of the member 24. .26 are the.

bolts or pins which secure the outer series of segments 21. These belts or pins extend through the rim portion of the driving mem her 23,.and also through the clamping ring 27, 28-are the se arati'ng springs, which are placed between t e friction elements 21 and 22 and the outer shell, and 29 the removable threaded plugs which form an end bearing for said springs, and which may also be removed to permit of the introduction of lubricant to the chamber 30, in which the springs are seated, and which surrounds the two series of friction elements. The bolts -25 and 26 are arrangedindpairs, as in the other construction describe Fig. 10 shows a detail view of one pair of the outer bolts 261 These bolts are connected at their outer projecting ends by a cross head orcompensating bar 31, having an opening 32 therein which is engaged bya lever 335, connected by a link 34 with a pm 35 carried on a rojecting arm or 111g 36 of the removables eeve 37.

It will-be seen that the levers 33, by means of the compensating bar 31 andthe bolts 26, which are screwed into the clamping ring 27, secure a positive release of the clamping bolts 26 and the clamping ring 27 which is aided by the action of the separating springs 28, while the nuts shown on the clamping bolts, 26 are used for adjusting any wear on the friction elements 21 and 22, and the compensating bar 31 will automatically adjust any difference of pressure in the'twobolts 26 and at the same time secure finer adjustment.

It will be noticed that the arrangement of the levers 33 and links 34 is such that the centrifugal action of rotation will tend to force the levers 33 in a direction to release the clamping act-ion 'of the bolts 26, when the clutch is disengaged.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be noted that there are three of the segments 21 and three of the segments 22, shown in the same plane. The number may, however, be reduced to two of each, or may be increased to any higher number, the number of pairsof bolts being, of course, reduced or increased correspondingly.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Heretofore, the manufacture of friction rings or elements has been a matter of considerable difficulty and expense, on account of the bar or plate from which they are made being necessarily as wide as the diameter of the friction ring and owing to the necessity for machining the surfaces of the elements to give them the proper surface and 'niake them of uniformthickness. By forming these elements from cold rolled or cold drawn plates or bars, they are all of uniform thickness and have bright smooth surfaces, particularly adapted'to the purpose for which they are required. T he? can thus be formed at a comparatively sma l expense and with less waste of material, and can be readily assembled with the clutch. It will also be noted that I avoid the use of keys for driving the friction'elements, and make use of the bolts for this purpose which actuate the pressure plates or rings, and which also secure the sections of the friction elements in place. It will also be noticed that the use of two bolts to one lever doubles'the the sco e of the appended claims by those skilled in the art, since the driven and drivingelements may be variously constructed and arra nged; a continuous instead of a divided shaftmay be employed, and various other changes may be made. The arrangement may beused for driving pulleys, rope sheaves, spur gear or any other transmitting appliances, and the driving and driven members which are both keyed fast to the shafts may be split or in halves to facilitate the mounting of these parts on, the shafts or shaft.

In the drawings, the friction elements are, for the sake of clearness, shown exaggerated in thickness.

I claim:

1. In a friction clutch, a shaft, a pulley member mounted thereon and having internal flanges on its rim, a plurality of friction elements inter osed between the said flanges, each of said e ements being composed of a plurality of separate pieces or segments, and pins or bolts arranged in pairs and extending through said flanges and also passing through said segments and securing them-to the pul-' ley member; substantially as described.

' 2. In afriction clutch, a driving, member, a driven member, and a series of friction elements carried by each of said members, the Sa'idelements being arranged in alternating relation and consisting each of separate independent'pieces or segments placed radially or tangentially aroundtheshaft, the segments in the sameplane having adjacent ends, substantially-as described.

3. In a friction clutch of the character described; the combiriation with a driving mem her and a driven member, of a series of friction elements carried by each of said membei s, each of said elements consisting of a series of short independent separate segments placed radially or tangentially about --the shaft, the segments in the same plane having adjacent ends, substantially as described.

- 4'. In a friction clutch of the character described, the combination with a driving memher and a driven member, of a series of friction elements carried by each of said members, each of said elements being composed ofa plurality of separate independent segments, and bolts or pins securing said ele ments to the respective members, said bolts or pins being arranged in pairs, substantially as described.

5. In a friction clutch, the combination of a driving element and a driven element, of two series of inter )osed friction elements, each element consisting of a plurality of separate segments, bolts or pins connect ng one series of such elements to the driving member, and bolts connectin the other series of'the elements to the drivenmember, and means for applying clamping pressure to said elements through one set of such bolts or'pins, substantially as described.

6; In a friction clutch, a shaft having a member mounted thereon consisting of a hub portion and a flange portion, a clamping member mounted on said hub portion, a plurality of friction elements consisting each of a plurality of separate segments interposed between the clamping member and the said flange portion, and clamping bolts arranged in pairs parallel to the axis of the shaft, said bolts engaging the clamping member and passing through said segments; substantially as described.

7. Ina friction clutch, a driving member, a driven member, and a series of friction elements carried by each of said members, each of said elements consisting of a plurality of separate segments, and bolts or pins connecting said segments to the respective members, said bolts or pins being arranged in pairs, arid means for a plying clamping pressure to said elements t rough one series of pairs of said bolts or pins, substantially as described.

8. In a friction clutch, the combination with a'driving element and a driven element,

of a series of friction elements each consisting of separate'pieces orsegments interposed between the driving an'd driven elements, means for applying clam ing pressure to the friction elements,' and re ease springs for said ele-' ments, substantially as described.

9. In a friction clutch, the combination of a driving element, a driven element, a series of friction elements each consisting of sepa rate pieces or segments interposed between the driving and driven elements, a clamping ring or plate, means for applying clamping pressure thereto, springs arranged to act upon the clamping ring of the plate in the reverse direction to the pressure-applying means, and means for adjusting the tension of thesprings, substantially as described;

10. In a friction clutch, the combination of a driving member and a driven member, a series of friction elements each consisting of separate pieces or segments interposed between said members, a clamping ring or plate carried by one of said members, means for-applying clamping pressure to said plate, springs-acting upon said plate in opposition to the means for applying pressure, and removable plugs forming bearings for one end of said springs, said springs being placed in a lubricant chamber adjacent to the: friction elements, substantially as described.

mg the cross described.

12. In a friction clutch, a plurality of friction elements consisting each of a plurality of separate segments arranged about the clutch shaft, said segments having each a straight edge, a clamping-member for the segments, and springs seated in the spaces provided by the straight edges of the seg' ments and acting in a direction parallel to the shaft to release the substantially as describe -bars-to compensate for wear of the friction element's, substantially as clamping member;

13. In a friction clutch, a shaft, a hub member mounted thereon and carrying a flange, ,a plurality of friction elements, a clamping member, arranged to act on said elements, said elements consisting each of a plurality of separate segments, and bolts or pins engaging said'clamping member and extending through the said elements and through the said flange, said bolts or pins being arranged in pairs at the end portlons of the segments; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HAROLD HORSFALL. Witnesses:

R. D. LITTLE,

H. M. CORWIN. 

